ASEAN leaders will carefully assess post-election developments in Myanmar, according to Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who chairs the bloc. The election has been criticized by the UN and Western governments as a sham, a charge the junta denies, asserting public support. ASEAN aims to reduce violence and avoid premature legitimacy, adhering to its largely unsuccessful 2021 peace plan. Myanmar has faced turmoil since the 2021 military coup, leading to widespread rebellion.